Waterproof gun cover



Nov. 14, 1961 R. T. COWLEY 3,008,380

WATERPROOF GUN COVER Filed Sept. 50, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

1961 R. T. COWLEY 3,008,380

ViATERPROOF GUN COVER Filed Sept. 30, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 4

INVENTOR RICHARD 7: COWLEY 3,008,380 WATERPROOF GUN COVER Richard T. Cowley, Ellicott City, -Md., assignor, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed Sept. 30, 1959, Ser. No. 843,606 4 Claims. (Cl. 89-375) The present invention'relates to protective seal construction and more particularly to the provision of a flexibly-mounted waterproof cover for the armament of seaplanes and the provision of means supported within the cover adapted to seal about the gun muzzles when the guns are not being fired.

In the construction of water-based bombers for one reason or another it often becomes necessary to locate gun turrets in such positions-that they are either submerged at time or are at leas t subjected to a period of continuous spray and splash.

.The provision of seal construction capable of preventing the entry of salt water or spray into the craft is of prime importance. Tests conducted by the Bureau of Ordnance of the Department of the Navy have proved that without the employment of extraordinary sealing means about the gun muzzles and other turret openings to prevent the access of salt water to the ordnance components, sufficient salt water enters the turret during landing and takeoff operations to render the guns totally inoperative. It becomes readily apparent that under these conditions, the entire defense system of such a waterbased bomber canbe rendered useless.

The present invention is directed to the combination of a flexibly-mounted waterproof gun'cover and inflatable sealingmeans supported therein being arranged to seal about the gun muzzle (when the gun is not being fired) as, for example, when the gun turret is placed in stow position during landing and takeofl. Further, this combination provides for rapid conversion from the sealed to the unsealed position preparatory to firing.

The invention is not, of course, limited to use on guns mounted in aircraft gun turrets but is generally adaptable to use with armament mounted on vehicles in positions in which protection from the damage of sea water is required.

In freezing weather when the gun cover and seal are exposed to wave action or submersion during landing or takeoff there is the danger that the seal may freeze to the gun barrel. If the gun were to be fired while the seal is frozen thereto the recoil of the gun would tear the seal. To avoid this problem a heating element is provided adjacent the inflatable seal.

It is accordingly a major object of the present invention to provide a flexibly-mounted waterproof gun cover.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide inflatable means supported in said gun cover and adapted to seal about the gun muzzle.

It is an added object of the present invention to provide a heating element in conjunction with the inflatable seal to prevent the freezing of the seal to the gun muzzle and the subsequent tearing of the seal.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a ball turret assembly with the turret and gun cradle shown at maximum elevation and waterproof covers for the turret guns;

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of a gun barrel with the gun cover thereover;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the gun cover in mounted position;

3,008,380 Patented Nov. 14, 1961 FIG. 4 is a section 44 of FIG. 3 taken through the front end of the gun cover;

FIG. 5 is section 5-5 of FIG. 3 taken through a check valve drain, and

FIG. 6 is section 6-6 of FIG. 3 taken through the In the event that such a turret assembly is to be utilized as the tail turret assembly-in a seaplane there are times such as when the craft is sitting in the water, taking oif or landing when this turret assembly is fully submerged or is at least subjected to splash and spray action. As has been stated above it is critical that the turret assembly be well-sealed against the entry of water under these conditions. Toward this end the barrels of gun 16 are increased in and protected by gun covers 17, 17.

Although the present description is directed towards a gun installation in an aircraft turret the same principles are applicable to any installation in which a gun barrel projects through a Wall and it is desired to prevent the entry of fluids in the intervening space between gun barrel and the edge of the opening in the wall.

To more distinctly describe the construction and mounting of gun cover 17 reference is made to FIGS.

2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Therein it is shown that gun cover 17 is flexibly mounted to an exterior surface of the turret, in this case gun cradle 18 by screws 19 passing through face plate 21 and fabric reinforced rubber gaskets 22, 23 arranged on either side of cover mounting flange 24. The outer end 26 of gun cover 17 supports inflatable seal 27, an elastic tube encircling gun barrel 20 or as shown gun muzzle 28. When inflated this elastic tube closes tightly about gun muzzle 28 preventing the flow of sea Water between muzzle 28 and gun cover 17.

This actually amounts to sealing the intervening space between gun barrel 20 and opening 25 in the Wall of gun cradle 18. As shown in FIG. 4 when seal 27 is deflated it retracts from muzzle 28. While the gun is being fired the seal is always in the retracted position to prevent damage of the seal due to the high temperatures encountered during firing. This positioning of seal 27 can be automatically provided for by correlating the control of the gun firing mechanism with means to release the fiuid pressure in seal 27 whereby deflation and retraction of seal 27 will occur inherently. Means to effectuate such automatic control form no part of this invention, however. In order to prevent the freezing of seal 27 to muzzle 28 heating element 29 is provided adjacent seal 27 ready for such time as the weather conditions require its use. It is contemplated that heating element 29 is heated by electricity but the actual means employed forms no part of this invention.

Inflation of seal 27 is efiectuated by arranging valve 31 to admit air under pressure from supply pipe 32 to conduit 33 from which the air passes through passages 34 and 36 into the interior 37 of seal 27. Deflation is achieved by arranging valve 31 to allow the air in seal 27 to escape through conduit 38.

Outer end 26 of gun cover 17 also provides a mount for spring-like fingers 39 which grip gun muzzle 28 from 0 all sides and serve thereby to support the forward end cover- 17, that is, the resilient gasket mounting coupled,

with the spring grip mounting permits gun cover 17 to float thereby reducing the stress concentrations which would otherwise beinduced' therein if the unit were rigidly supported. 'Ihesources of such stress are the flight'wind loadson cover' 17; thehighrecoil and" counterrecoil' accelerations of the gun barrel during firing and the high temperatures generated during firing. The casingof; gun

cover 17 is, of course, sufficiently stiff or rigid to support itself and retain its shape under flight wind loads. Be-

cause ofthe manner in which it is supported resulting in P a reduction of stresses uporr it, this casingcan' be made of lighter metal than would benecessary if' it were rigidly supported. 1 v a In the event that moi'sturefrom condensation or other sources should coll-ect'within gun cover-17 provision is 1 madefor the drainage thereof without allowing the entry of sea water. FIG.'5 is a section taken through oneway valve 40. This valve is locatedv idouter end 2,6 since being so located, when gun cradle t18fi's placed stow position (depressed to 45 elevation) any1mois a ture in the gun cover will run to the low end thereof and be drained throughpassages' 41 and" 42-past 43-=and,out opening 44. V

In operation, when the craft upon-which the turret as;

sembl'y 11 is installed is about to land in-Water, door 46 is moved into closed-position, turret 14 is'depressed to stow position with'the underside of gun cradle 18 abut- 4 practiced otherwise-than as specifically described.

j is" claimed is: V 1. A gun cover comprising, in combination, a wall having an opening therethrough, a gun barrel projecting through said opening, elongated water-proof encasing means surrounding, a portion. of gun barrel projection and comprisingia rigid, cylinder, saideencasing meme-t having; an inner and outer: end, an aperture; insaid; inner and outer ends 'permittings'aid: gun barrehto exnend therethrough, sealing means in saicfouter end comprising an inflatable elastic tube encircling the gun muzzle closely when deflated and closing tightly thereagainstwhen in- ,flated', and supporting means mounte'din said' inner'and, outer ends forming a vvaterqrroof juncture at ends f thereby sealing offtheinterior'ofsaid'encasing means. I,

2. A gun cover as'described in. claim 1] in which said inner end of the encasing means is resiliently mounted .,on said wall, a plurality of rubber gaskets,- said rubber ball valve;

35 5 the scope'of the appended claims the invention'hmay be gaskets providing a seal for said inner end" and al o il; iency' thereto. e I r 3'. A gun cover'as described? in claim 2 wherein said i 7 cylinder is provided with-means for draining cond'ensa tion from the interior of. said'cylinder. in f 4. A gun cover as descjribedlih claim '1 wherein said outer end of said casin'glal'so has heating means'mountedi',

adjacent 'said inflatabl e sealing means. J '1: v

References'eited'in the file of this" patent Y i V V UNITE STATES PATENTS 2,332,378

V FOREIGNYYVPATENTS 4833847 

